How Do I Move My Cat From Kitten Food To Cat Food
It isnt a good idea to move your cat from 100% kitten food to 100% adult cat food. Instead, transition your cats type of food intake over several days. Not only will this help your cat to accept the new food it will also decrease the chance of any issues with their digestion of the new adult cat food.
On the first day put 75% kitten food and 25% adult food into your cats bolw at each meal. On day two move to 50% kitten food and 50% adult food. Day three 75% adult food and 25% kitten food. And then on day four move to 100% adult cat food.
If your cat is struggling to adjust then slow down the percentage move to adult food and manage the transition over a larger number of days.
Free-choice feeding is fine for most cats as they tend to only eat what they want. This involves allowing them access to food 24/7.
Personally, I have dry food available for my cat 24/7 and two set times a day for when it receives wet food. Portion-controlled feeding can be better for indoor cats as they tend not to be as active as outdoor cats.
Adult Cat: One To Seven Years Old
Congratulations, that adorable ball of fluff you are raising is now officially an adult. Imagine, at two years old shell have reached her social maturity.
Behavioral changes are common at this time. Cuddly kittens may turn into I-want-to-be-alone divas or once unaffectionate kittens may cling to your lap.
Senior Cats Have Lower Energy Levels
For natural reasons senior cats are not as energetic as kittens and young cats. If you’re looking for a furry companion to play with or have children who are very energetic, you may find a senior cat unexciting. Instead of running around and chasing imaginary mice, old cats prefer to sleep a lot, thoughtfully look through the windows and relax.
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Understanding The Different Life Stages Of Cats
Felines live through many life stages, and the acceleration of aging varies from one cat to the next. The speed of aging is dependent on genetics, environments, and health care. Each life stage comes with its health risks a cat age classification defines cats life stages:
- Kitten Birth to 6 months
- 5 months to 2 years old
- Prime 3 years to 6 years of age
- Mature 7 to 10 years of age
- Senior 11 to 14 years old
- Geriatric age 15 and older
Cats over 11 years of age are officially in their senior years. For pet parents, this means that they will need to repay a decade of cuddles with some additional cat care and be on the lookout for any changes in behavior and signs of aging. Nurturing your cat during their prime and mature years will set you on the right path once your cat reaches senior age.
Discussion Items For All Life Stages
The Task Force recommends a minimum of annual examinations for all cats, with increasing frequency as appropriate for their individual needs.6 Senior cats should be seen at least every 6 months and more frequently for those with chronic conditions. More information can be found in the AAFPSenior Care Guidelines.12 Seeing patients and clients at least annually provides an excellent opportunity for client education. lists a number of discussion items relevant to all life stages. Some topics such as sterilization, claw care, the importance of identification and microchipping, and disaster preparedness may be covered once in an initial consultation. The AAFP Position Statement entitled Early spay and castration is a source of further information on timing of pediatric spay/neutering. 13
Open-ended questions and requests such as, What would you like to discuss with me today? or, I hear that hasnt been eating well, tell me more about that are an excellent start to setting the agenda for the consultation. An appointment template can be valuable to guide more specific questions such as, Has there been any urination or defecation outside the litter box? to ensure other relevant information is not missed or left to the end of the consultation.
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How To Tell When A Cat Has Reached Its Full Size
While it is true that cats can continue to grow after the first year, their growth rate will slow down significantly afterwards. In fact, if youre not paying strict attention, you might not even notice that theyre growing! The best way to understand when your cat has stopped growing is to measure and weigh it each month. Cats continue to gain height as well as length. If you measure your kitty once per month, youll notice when those measurements stop changing.
A cats weight can also reveal their maturity level or approximate age. You can estimate your cats adult weight by weighing them when theyre 16 weeks old and doubling that number. You can expect that figure will be right around your cats adult weight. Its not exact, but its a good estimate. Similar to measuring a cats height and weight, weighing a cat monthly can also aid in determining when he or she reaches full size.
No matter how big your cat gets, it will always need giant-sized portions of love, affection and snuggles!
Want to know more about cats? Check out How Your Cats Behavior Changes With Age, How To Take Care Of A Kitten, and Why Does My Cat Do That? 20 Puzzling Cat Behaviors Explained at Cuteness.com!
This article is provided by Cutenessthe go to destination for passionate pet parents. Cuteness has answers to all of your health, training, and behavior questions as well as the cutest, funniest, and most inspiring pet stories from all over the world.
How To Tell Your Cats Age In Human Years
07th March 2019
For their size, cats live quite a long time. Generally, an animals longevity is proportional to its size .
A tiny mouse has a short lifespan, a rabbit somewhat longer and a dog between 7 and 20 years depending on its breed or size, its activity, or both. Cats arent much bigger than rabbits, but whereas the rabbit may live about 8 years, a cat will live on average about 1214 years, and its not unusual for cats to reach their late teens or even their early 20s.
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How To Calculate Cat Years To Human Years
As you can see in the cat age chart, your cats age is not as simple as a 1 to 7 ratio. However, while other pets like dogs mature differently depending on their breeds characteristics, cat lifespans and maturity rates stay consistent across the species. Typically:
- The first year of a cats life is equal to fifteen human years.
- The second year is equal to an additional 9.
- Every cat year after that is an additional 4 human years.
According to International Cat Care, there are six main stages of a cats life:
Cats age rapidly within the first few years of their lives, reaching the human equivalent of mid-adolescence by the end of their first year.
How Do You Tell The Age Of A Cat
The best way to tell a catâs age is to observe its behavior. Older and very young cats need to sleep a lot more. Cats that are in their prime need the least amount of sleep. Young cats have loads of energy and love to play. Older cats might just head to their sleeping space. Observing activity alone will give you a pretty good sense as to what age the cat is.
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Why Its Important To Switch To Adult Cat Food
Kittens experience rapid growth and development, plus, theyre playful and have a lot of energy. Kitten food has higher calories and more protein and fat to support energetic, growing kittens.
Its also formulated with DHA to help support brain and vision development, plus vitamins and minerals needed for their developing immune systems.
Once they reach maturity, cats dont need the same amounts of those nutrients. Plus, theyre often less energetic, so eating a high-calorie kitten food could result in weight gain.
There Are 6 Life Stages For Cats:
- Kitten 06 monthsa period when the young cat is growing rapidly and is usually not quite sexually mature
- during this time the cat reaches full size and learns about life and how to survive it
- Prime 36 yearsthe cat is mature physically and behaviourally, and is still usually healthy and active, looking sleek and shiny and making the best of life
- Mature 710 yearsthe cat is what we call Mature, equivalent to humans in their mid-40s to mid-50s
- Senior 1114 yearstakes the cat up to the equivalent of about 70 human years
- Super Senior 15 years and overmany cats do reach this stage, some not showing any signs of being so senior in age
The table below shows all of the stages and also the equivalent human age. What these stages let us do is to appreciate how old the cat is inside, since, as has been pointed out, this is often not very obvious from the outside, as cats seldom go grey or show outward signs of pain or illnesses such as arthritis.
International Cat Care has set up a preventative healthcare initiative called Cat Care for Life. The programme looks at the health checks your cat should be having dependant on its age and what age-related changes you can expect to see in your cat.
For full details please visit the Cat Care for Life website.
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Common Diseases For Senior Cats
A very common and preventable disease that is prevalent in senior pets is dental disease, Dr. Lobprise said. While its not always a serious disease to have, it is one worth paying attention to and can change your cats demeanor if treated early and effectively. You can spot periodontal disease by regularly checking your cat’s teeth and gums for signs of bacterial infection such as inflammation, reddened gums and tartar. Left untreated, dental issues can impact a cats heart, kidneys, and the rest of the body.
Kidney and liver disease can be an issue for both cats and dogs, as can heart and valve disease. Endocrine issues including those impacting the adrenal glands and thyroid can also affect aging cats. Hyperthyroidism can make older cats lose weight or feel weak while obesity can cause diabetes. Unfortunately, Dr. Lobprise said it’s more common for multiple problems to compound each other in senior pets than in younger animals.
Your pets cognitive function is also a common issue are they aware of their surroundings? Do they recognize their owners? There are minor, natural declines in cognition as a part of the aging process, but as it advances, it can disrupt a pets quality of life. Supplements, pet food, and products designed to help cognitive function can help ease symptoms in these situations, but it’s important to have your animal evaluated by its veterinarian before beginning treatment.
Signs Of Aging For Senior Cats
There is a wide range of factors to help you recognize signs of aging in your pet many of them similar to the signs of aging in people, Dr. Lobprise said. Some of these factors may be more obvious, like an intolerance to exercise or limited mobility, while others are much more subtle. Youll want to monitor your cat’s eating patterns and body weight, as obesity can cause many issues, including osteoarthritis and diabetes. A too-thin animal could be having dental or thyroid issues. Sleeping patterns and cognitive behavior are also things to look out for a cat that isnt aware of its surroundings or has difficulty recognizing people may be experiencing early Alzheimers or dementia. Looking at the condition of its coat and how much your cat is grooming itself can also be indicative of its health.
A less obvious but just as important sign of aging is how much your pet is drinking and urinating, Dr. Lobprise said. How much your pet is or isnt drinking can be indicative of many problems, from endocrine issues to kidney disease. Its challenging to watch for, especially in multi pet households, but should be monitored if possible. Being aware of your pets overall body condition may also help you spot any abnormalities.
Were keeping animals healthier and healthier now, and as our pet population is graying an eventual cause of death is cancer, especially in specific breeds, Dr. Lobprise said. We need to be aware of lumps and bumps.
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At What Age Are Cats Fully Grown
Reviewed for accuracy on September 30, 2019, by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM
When a child finally turns 18 years old, they are generally considered to be an adult.
But what about our feline family members? At what age are cats fully grown? How do you know when to start feeding them adult cat food?
Your cat will hit several different milestones that signify that shes becoming an adult cat, but theres no one magic age where a cat stops growing and maturing.
Although theres no definitive age, there are general age ranges where most cats generally stop growing and reach adulthood. Heres what you can expect as your cat makes that transition.
Physical And Mental Exercise
Obesity and arthritis are common concerns for older cats, which is why keeping your cat fit is an important part of keeping her healthy. Senior cats enjoy playing with toys, such as feathered wands, and most cant resist catnip-enhanced cat toys.
You also can toss kibble for your cat to hunt. Or take her daily food allotment, split it up into four or five portions, and put them around the house, preferably elevated so your cat must jump. All of these options can help sharpen your cats mind and trim her body.
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Kitten Care: Things To Do To Before You Get Your Kitten
Register with a vet Buy a cat carrier Buy a bed, food and water bowls , litter tray, toys, brushes / combs. Buy a break-safe collar and have an identity disc made with your cats address details on it Prepare your home: Secure any trailing wires Ensure all toxic plants, human foods, medicines, cleaning chemicals are out of the kittens reach Create a scratching post or an area that it is ok for the kitten to fulfil its natural instinct to scratch Set aside a private area for the kitten to feel safe using a litter tray Place food and water bowls in separate locations, cats dont naturally like to eat and drink from the same area Create an area where your kitten can have peace and quiet and feel safe, such as a cardboard on its side, to the cat this is a safe haven, like a cave to retreat to. Litter tray: In the wild, big cats are careful about keeping clean. Thats why they dont eat and go to the toilet in the same place. Kittens are no different, please keep the litter tray well away from the places where the cat eats and drinks.
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How To Tell The Age Of A Cat
Many pet owners adopt cats and kittens without knowing their exact age since many cats come into shelters and rescues off the streets. Knowing your cat or kitten’s age isnt imperative, but can help you determine the right diet and care they need.
Look at the teethGenerally, the younger the cat is, the easier it is to determine an accurate age. If your cat already has their adult teeth, determining the age becomes significantly more difficult. For kittens under 6 months old, using their teeth can be a great factor in pinpointing their age. When kittens are between 2-4 weeks old, they receive their baby incisors, and their canines come in between 3-4 weeks old. The premolars start coming in at 4-6 weeks, and by the time the kitten is 8 weeks old, they should have all of their baby teeth. Starting at about 4 months old, kittens start to lose their baby teeth and the adult teeth start to emerge. By 6 months old kittens have a full mouth of adult teeth. Determining a cat’s age by teeth over 6 months old can be tricky. Generally, if the back teeth have yellow stains, also known as tartar, the cat can be anywhere between 1-2 years old. If all the cat’s teeth contain some tartar buildup, then the cat is likely to be between 3-5 years old. If they have a lot of tartar buildup on their teeth and may have some signs of wear, the cat might be between 5-10 years old. Missing teeth can be an indicator that the cat is about 10-15 years old.
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Defining Senior Age In Cats
While most of us like to remember our cats as the fluffy kittens we brought home at just a few months old, they don’t stay young forever. The best way to help keep your cat as healthy as possible later in life is to recognize signs of aging and learn more about common ailments that can affect senior cats.
When Are Cats Considered Elderly
Your senior cat will eventually become elderly. Its important to note that this is more a statement of your cats health and is not a completely separate life phase. An elderly cat is still considered to be in its senior adult life.
As your cat becomes elderly, you will see their appetite, activity levels, and sometimes their patience drop. Outdoor cats are generally considered elderly from 13 years onward, while indoor cats are elderly at 15 years, but this varies depending on your cats fitness and wellbeing.
At this senior stage of adulthood is when most of your cats health issues will arise. Many cats encounter hyperthyroidism, arthritis, and dental disease during this time. Kidney and bladder issues are also common in elderly cats. Elderly cats will also commonly endure hair loss, brittle nails, and dry or patchy skin.
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